1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to planters and more particularly to a novel and improved flower pot including means to regulate the moisture content of the soil to provide optimum moisture for plant growth and also having means to assure adequate aeration of the soil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is generally known that there is an optimum moisture environment for plant roots when grown indoors, with the growth of the plant being adversely affected if there is either considerably greater moisture or considerably less moisture than the optimum. Too little water in the soil stunts the growth because water is needed for the plant growth, while too much water in the soil stunts the growth of the plant by reducing the amount of air in the soil.
Further, the combination of the amount of water in the soil and the amount of air in the soil acts together in the forming or preventing of root rotting and mold growth in the soil. Root rotting is caused by a saturated soil condition, while mold growth is caused by a lack of sufficient air content of the soil.
Prior art devices have attempted to provide a balanced water situation for the plant, such devices being generally illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,534,498; 3,261,125; 2,810,235; and 3,220,144. However, all of these devices have failed to meet with popular consumer acceptance due to one or more problems, such as being overly expensive to produce and thus expensive to purchase, require a high level of maintenance, are difficult to maintain filled with water, and are otherwise generally unacceptable. Further, these devices make no attempt to provide suitable aeration to the soil but merely direct themselves to the problem of providing water to the soil, such that mold growth is not discouraged by these devices.